IT’S BOK TO THE FUTURE
Copy champs says Ewels ENGLAND prepare to turn the page at Twickenham this weekend – aiming to take a leaf out of world champions South Africa’s book.
The Autumn Nations Series is England’s first major outing after their worst Six Nations since the championship was expanded.
The Springboks fell to the bottom of the well in similar fashion in the last cycle of the international calendar only to rebound spectacularly.
Now Eddie Jones’ side – who face Tonga, Australia and South Africa on successive Saturdays – want to follow the same path.
Second row Charlie Ewels said: “You look at South Africa’s run into the 2019 World Cup – they had one of the worst runs in their recent history two years out from the World Cup.
“Rassie Erasmus comes in as coach and it sharpens them up and they go on to win.
“The good teams respond to losses. They take those tough moments to adapt and do things differently.”
Ewels, 26, was part of the Lions-free
by NEIL SQUIRES
England side who took baby steps on the road to recovery in the summer with victories over USA and Canada at Twickenham.
With new faces in the squad and on the coaching staff, he feels the wind of change which blew in then will gather pace this autumn.
“It does feel like a refresh. The team will naturally now evolve with new coaches, new players and new ideas,” added Ewels.
“For us it is about moving forwards with that overarching goal that we will be peaking in 2023.”
While Jones remains in place, the coaching sands beneath him in his ever-churning England environment have shifted once again with Richard Cockerill, Martin Gleeson and Anthony Seibold coming in.
Of these the most intriguing is the arrival of Cockerill whose fearsome reputation precedes him.
How he rubs along with the equally combative Jones will be fascinating in the medium term but it is the work he does with the England forwards which will shape the short term.